The place to go if you want to learn how to market or publicize your book effectively.

November 21, 2012

Using Elements of Your Story to Market Your Book by Debby Mayne

Marketing books can be quite a challenge because there are
so many of us doing the same thing. Most published authors post on Facebook,
Twitter, and other social media outlets. Many of us send postcards and
newsletters to our mailing lists. We do book signings, workshops, and other
speaking engagements. So what can we do differently—something that is unique?

Try looking inside the cover of your book for the answer.
There’s bound to be something in there that you can use in your marketing
efforts. This can be something specific to your characters or setting.
Sometimes it’s obvious, but other times, you might have to dig.

When I started thinking about what to do with Sweet Baklava,
I decided to test an idea on the marketing team at Abingdon Press. I purchased
a couple large trays of baklava and sent it to them for their meeting.
According to the editor and marketing director, it was a very sweet (but
sticky) success. After that, when I did book signings, I asked permission to
bring baklava, and most bookstores allowed it, as long as I provided something
for customers to wipe their hands on. Armed with a pen, trays of baklava, baby
wipes, and napkins, I never had any trouble getting people to my table.

B&H is working hard to get word out about the Bloomfield
series (with Gail Sattler, Kathi Macias, Martha Rogers, Trish Perry, Miralee
Ferrell, Jenness Walker, and Tracy Bowen). Bloomfield is a town filled with
quirky characters, most of them members of the garden club that pretty much
runs everything. The series launched with my first straight-to-digital book
Waiting for a View. Editor Julie Gwinn, marketing strategist Shannon Kozee, and
publicist Jeane Wynn have come up with some fun contests that center on the
gardening theme. Bloomfield has a Facebook page and Pinterest board with
gardening ideas, recipes, and whatever else we can think of.

An author of a series of books about a seamstress purchased
a case of inexpensive travel sewing kits and had her name printed on the
covers. She used these to hand out at conferences and book signings. I kept one
in my handbag for emergencies, and every time I pulled it out to repair a hem,
I thought of her books.

Jot down marketing ideas as you write your books to make
sure you don’t forget. Don’t worry about any single idea being silly or
unworthy of your marketing efforts because this is just a list that you’ll
refer to later. It’s okay to add something to your book for marketing purposes,
as long as it is organic to your story. If your character is out shopping and
picks up a candle in her favorite scent, using scented candles for marketing
your book makes sense. However, if your story takes place in the mountains,
adding a seashell would likely jolt the readers. Once the book is off your desk
and in the final stages of production, you can concentrate on finding at least
one marketing tool from your list.

If you’ve already written your book, and it’s published, go
back and read it with a marketer’s eye. Look for anything, even something
small, that you can use when promoting your book. If your character goes on a
trip, you can have postcards made with pictures of the setting.

The most important advice I can give about using elements of your story to market your book is to enjoy the process!